i have only had the bike back for 8 days after exhaust swap. the dealership put them on for me since i was in Afghanistan. The rear header bolts (Both) broke off. couple of questions:
what would cause them to brake?

second, since i had to ride it 20 miles back, did i hurt anything?

any help would be appreciated.

 

Ouch! I am assuming that the exhaust swap was for an aftermarket exhaust. The only thing that I can think is someone torqued the bolts while the pipe was hot (to hide an exhaust leak) or if the pipes were installed at the bracket prior to torquing the flange bolts. That's my opinion....nothing more.

I hate exhaust bolts...I put hi-temp antiseize on them every time I touch them because they are rusty PITA's.

As for damaging something, cold air into a hot exhaust port is not good. I doubt that you damaged something, but I can't say. It's like saying eating cheeseburgers everyday is bad for you. Some people will die of a heart attack and some people will die of old age.

 

figured it may have been the way they were torqued. they are after market, bassani prostreet. the bike sounds amazing when the pipes are hooked up right. thanks for the wisdom.

 

The dealership should be smart enough to know when a exhaust stud needs replaced. Its not rocket science. If the nut comes off roughly then I replace the stud in the cylinder. Its a 2 dollar part that makes a clean install. Mine came off roughly and I replaced them for preventive reasons. Another reason why I do my own work. I would take it back to the dealership and make them install new studs and gaskets free of charge.

 

+1 They should know better. No doubt the nuts came off hard. The tech should have replaced the studs.

 

They likely overtqd the nuts,(easy to do, tq is in in lbs, and a small number at that) or bolted them to the bracketry, then the heads. Either way, their fault and they should (but probably won't) cheerfully replace them.